There aren't very many people left in this town who don't know that my brother and I take care of our mother, who recently turned 83 years old.

Our mother is one of those unique women of her day who is still very independent. She grew up as a worker, one of eight children on a family farm of 80 acres northeast of DeWitt. They didn't have electric lights or indoor plumbing or a vehicle, much less a telephone.

One thing they did have was love, each other and plenty of work to go around. There wasn't that great of an education, however my one aunt and one uncle graduated from DeWitt High School. My mother always wanted the best education for her children and she was very determined to have her children get their valued diploma and possible college education.

Talking to other people around that time, our mother was always looking for a brighter future and someone nice to share it with. That is how she met my Dad, who had been home from his service in the U.S. Army for just over a year and working on a farm near Almyra. My Mom and Dad met on the infamous DeWitt Square. She said he was the prettiest thing she had ever seen and he thought she was the prettiest girl he had seen on the Square.

My brother and I have heard all of these stories and cherish them so much. They are our past and hope for Melissa to cherish them in the future also. We knew it was tough growing up on the farm and leaving home to work in DeWitt at only 14 years of age. That is what my mother wanted to do and by golly that is what she did. She worked with the George Rowland family for approximately five years, even though the two surviving sons of that family doesn't seem want to acknowledge it. I still don't know why. I guess I will never know.

Mom and Dad raised Rodger and me the best way they knew and believe me, we were a family unit and did everything together. We went everywhere together. That was the way our family was back then. Mom and Dad were married almost 58 years when we lost him on Sept. 10, 2007. It was very difficult for all of us, but we have managed to live without Dad for six years. Mother still tells us that is the hardest thing she has ever done in her entire life. That is something for my Mom to say coming from the Depression era.

It hasn't been easy for her but Rodger and I try to take care of her as much as we can. She tells everyone she still takes care of us. She probably does. Mom has some problem getting around and she has assistance with a walking cane. I still tell people she walks with it more than she uses it. Rodger always says he sometimes needs one himself. She still puts on her own makeup and does her own nails. We tell her that we could take her to a nail place for her, but she says they may not do them right to suit her.

Page 2 of 2 - Among all of the new assistances that people have nowadays, we are still able for our mother to remain at home. She is still able to get around, do a little washing and cooking. Rodger does most of the cooking and I clean the dishes. We wouldn't have it any other way and we still enjoy Mother’s sharp mind and yes, folks, at times, her sharp mouth.

I take her occasionally to the variety of functions around town. She always enjoys them. We take her to a neighborhood restaurant on special occasions and Rodger has taken her to a number of the programs at the Grand Prairie Center. We still enjoy mom very much and, believe me, she still is in charge after all of these years.